Road-engine.



E. J. VRAALSTAD.

ROAD ENGINE.

Patented D60. 31, 1912.

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61 Roma;

E. J. VRAALSTAD.

ROAD ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.8, 1010.

1,048,608, 7 Patented Dec. 31,1912.

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B. J. VRAALSTAD.

ROAD ENGINE.

APPLICATION TILED APR.B, 1910. 1,048,608. Patented Dec.31,1912.

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COLUMBIA PLANOKHIAIII CO" WASHINGTON [L C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. VRAALSTAD, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ROAD-ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD J. VRAAL- STAD, ofBuffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Roaddlngines; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to maintain, under all conditions, theparallelism between the frame or body and the axle of the driven wheelsof a road engine or motor vehicle having spring mountings or connectionsbetween the axle and the body, whereby the driving mechanism may be keptin perfect alinement in passing over rough or uneven roads.

A further object is to equally distribute strain to the springs on bothsides of the machine when either side is higher or lower than the other,as when one wheel strikes an obstruction or enters a depression.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of aportion of the engine frame, the wheels being omitted. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional viewthrough one end of the axle sleeve and its connections. Fig. 4; is asect-ion on line 1- 1, 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation on a reduced scale.

My invention will be described in connection with a traction engine forwhich it was specifically designed, but it is applicable to any roadengine or motor vehicle having resilient connections between the axle ofthe driven wheels and the body.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of the frame or bodyof a traction engine; 2 the upper and lower horizontal side barsthereof, and 3 the axle upon which the carrying wheels are mounted.

4 is a sleeve or casing for the axle extending transversely of the bodyand inclosing nearly the full length of the axle. The diameter of thissleeve is enlarged at each end to accommodate bushings 5 which may beheld as against turning by lugs and grooves. Each end of the sleeve isformed as a lever of the second order; that is, each end has arearwardly extending arm 6 and a for- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1910.

Serial No. 554,154.

wardly extending arm 7. The arms 6 are approximately disk-like and fitin curved bearings 8 formed in vertically-disposed members 9 of theframe, while the for wardly-projecting arms 7 are located between upperand lower shoulders forming stops 10 on the rear of frame members 12.These two frame members, 9 and 12, are fitted between the upper andlower side bars 2 and may be adjusted longitudinally thereof by threadedrods 13 engaging fixed frame members 14.

From the free ends of the forwardly projecting arms 7 depend hangers 15,each being shown as composed of two corresponding rods having eyes forthe passage of a connecting bolt 16, said rods at their lower ends beingconnected by cross plates 17 which are held by nuts on the rods. Betweenthese plates and the lower side bars 2 are spiral springs 18 which serveto normally hold the free ends of the lever arms 7 about midway betweenthe stops 10.

\Vhen either carrying wheel of the driven axle passes over anobstruction, or enters a rut or hole, causing in one instance theraising and in the other the lowering of the axle at one end, the otherend travels uniformly with it, both ends rising or fallingsimultaneously. Thus the parallelism between the axle and the body ofthe machine is always maintained; the strain on the springs is uniform,and the driving mechanism, be it chain or gearing, between the drivingshaft and the axle of the driven wheels maintains perfect alinementunder all conditions. In the raising of the axle there is also arelative downward movement between it and the frame or body since thelever arms 6 have knuckle-like fulcrums on the frame.

Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

Although I have shown springs at each end of the axle sleeve, it isobvious that a single spring may be employed if located at a pointintermediate the ends of the sleeve, but I prefer to use two springs. Itis also within the scope of my invention to dispense with the sleeve andform the lever arms with or secure them directly to the axle.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a frame, of an axleextending transversely of the frame,

Patented Dec. 31, 1912. r

carrying wheels on the axle, end connections between the axle and the.frame comprising forwardly and rearwardly pr0ject-- ing arms, one ofthe arms at each end of the axle being rounded, bearings carried by theframe wherein the rounded arms are free to tur r1, and yielding meansacting on the remalnlng arms.

2. The combination with a frame, of an axle extending transversely ofthe frame, carrying wheels on the axle, a sleeve for said axle extendedtransversely of the frame, forwardly and rearwardly projecting armscarried by said sleeve at its opposite ends, bearings carried by theframe wherein one arm at each end of the sleeve is free to turn, andyielding means acting on the remaining arms.

3. The combination with a frame, of an axle extending transversely ofthe frame, carrying wheels on the axle, a sleeve for said axle extendedtransversely of the frame, forwardly and rearwarclly projecting armscarried by said sleeve at its opposite ends, one arm at each end beingrounded, knucklelike bearings carried by the frame wherein said roundedarms are free to turn, and springs interposed between the frames and theremaining arms of the sleeve.

4. The combination with a frame, of an axle, a sleeve therefor extendedtransversely of the frame, forwardly and rearwardly projecting arms atopposite ends of the sleeve, a member at each side of the frame formingeach a bearing for one arm, a sec- 0nd member at each side of the framehav ing stops for limiting the movements of the other arms, and springsacting on the latter arms.

5. The combination with a frame, of an axle, a sleeve therefor extendedtransversely of the frame, forwardly and rearwardly projecting arms atopposite ends of the sleeve, 21 member at each side of the frame formingeach a bearing for one arm, a second member at each side of the framehav ing stops for limiting the movements of the other arms, springsacting on the latter arms, and means for adjusting said memberslongitudinally of the frame.

6. The combination with a frame, of an axle, a sleeve therefor extendedtransversely of the frame, forwardly and rearwardly projecting arms atopposite ends of the sleeve, one arm at each end of the sleeve beingrounded, a member at each side of the frame forming a knuckle-likebearing for the adjacent rounded arm, a second member at each side ofthe frame having stops for limiting the movements of the other arms,springs acting on the latter arms, and means for adjusting said memberslongitudinally of the frame.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD J. VRAALSTAD.

Witnesses:

H. P. SEIPP, S. Y. VAN ARNAM.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

